Learning

Indi is very teachable! She is also stubborn and a little bit fearful. We've been taking a class to help her learn to focus on me in any situation. The class is following the book "Control Unleashed" by Leslie McDevitt. So far we have been working on lots of eye contact. Eye contact in the backyard, eye contact in the front yard, ec at the park, ec next to other dogs....she's getting good at it! She can watch me while I walk from in front of her to heel position and back again. I taught it to her by standing near her with treats in my hand and waiting for her to offer to look up into my eyes. The moment she does that I say "yes" and give her a treat. Then gradually ask for longer and longer eye contact before the reward.

A few weeks ago we were walking at one of our favorite dog spots and she saw a little wooden bridge up ahead. She totally freaked out and tried to get out of her harness and run away. She wouldn't eat a treat or look at me or anything. She has done this a few other times, all visual it seems. I'm hoping it is just a young dog phase that she will outgrow and learn to trust me and look to me for security.

She's been learning to use those gigantic feet! Stand near book, click/treat for looking at book, c/t for stepping on book, c/t for both front feet on book, c/t for moving hind feet independently of front end, with front feet still on book.

Big feet, big pads!

She's pretty hard to tire out. I've been taking her swimming almost every day after work and then we come home and do some baby agility stuff and obedience things, then I sit down at my computer and she goes to see what the kitties are up to, or pulls something out of the laundry basket or throws a bone around the living room. She never settles down on her own, I have to put her in her kennel to make her rest.

Indi, what are you doing? Indi, aren't you tired yet?
















Since I work at a vet's office and have kennels in the back I take the dogs to work with me. When Amber was here I left her and Rye at home loose in the house. I don't like the idea of leaving Indi in her little kennel at home while I'm at work all day so I feel like I have to take her to work with me. That means Rye goes too since he can not be left alone. He doesn't really love being there. He is alright since Indi is in the kennel with him but he still barks quite a bit and gets worked up. Today I decided to put one of Amber's old shirts on him, a rather small, tight fitting shirt. I thought I'd try to imitate the thunder shirt. I didn't hear a peep out of him all day! Could it really be true? I just hope it keeps working!